Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation

Welcome to the website of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation.
Launched in 1963, the Foundation was established to carry forward
Russell's work for peace, human rights and social justice. Forty
years later, it continues to do so.

Here, you will also find information about our journal,
The
Spokesman, and links to our publications website
Spokesman
Books.

The RToP is a popular tribunal that intends to expose third parties’
complicity in Israel’s violations of International Law. Its first
session was held in Barcelona (1) and focused on EU complicity. After 3
days of testimonies and expert analyses, it was proven that the EU was
not only passively complicit but also pro-active in supporting Israel.
How else can we explain that the EU-Israel Association Agreement has
still not been vitiated, that Israel is accepted by Europe in all major
European sports and cultural activities denied to Palestinians?

The Second Session of the RToP, which will take place in London on 20-22
November at 113 Chancery Lane, (2) will focus on corporate complicity in
Israel’s violations of International Law. A simple set of questions will
be asked to a prominent panel of Tribunal members including: the author
Alice Walker, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Maguire, the Former
UN envoy to Israel-Palestine John Dugard, the Spanish judge Martin
Pallin, the former ANC official Ronnie Kasrils, Malian former Culture
Minister Aminata Traore, former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and
the British barrister Michael Mansfield QC.

In 2004 the International Court of Justice in The Hague declared in
unequivocal terms that the building of a ‘Separation Wall’ was illegal
and that therefore those contributing to it were acting unlawfully. The
Court went on to place an obligation on the international community to
end this illegality and not participate in it. Therefore the kinds of
questions that will be posed at the Tribunal are: ‘how do corporations
which have provided building materials for the Wall explain their
actions?’ and ‘how can they be held to account on the basis of
international legal liability?’

Over 2 days, experts and witnesses from all over the world (including
Palestine and Israel) will testify and give legal analyses about various
corporations, including Alstom-Veolia and Caterpillar.

The RToP has a new dimension over all previous Russell Tribunals (on
Vietnam 1967 and Latin America 1973) – and that is empowerment. Not only
will it be identifying those complicit in Israel’s illegalities but also
ways in which citizens in their respective countries and in Palestine
might initiate legal redress. Following the Freedom Flotilla incident,
some legal actions have already been undertaken in Belgium, Greece and
Turkey. Survivors of the attack have presented Luis Moreno Ocampo, the
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor, with a comprehensive
dossier, claiming that there is an “overwhelming” case for prosecution.
Will the ICC respond favourably to this request? Will the US and the EU
support such actions?

President Obama said in July, during an interview with the South African
Broadcast Corporation (3): “No peace without justice in Sudan” and he
urged cooperation with the ICC. The day the same standards are applied
to Israel and the Western powers, democracy will regain its original
meaning and the oppressed around the world will finally be able to
breathe a sigh of relief.

In the meantime, it is left to us, living in relative comfort and
privilege, to fight for equal rights for those imprisoned in poverty and
denied a voice; to demonstrate solidarity and above all, not to remain
silent before injustice.